


Love From Afar

by Minatu



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: AU, M/M, i'm not even sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-05
Updated: 2015-03-28
Packaged: 2018-01-03 13:35:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 13,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1071069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minatu/pseuds/Minatu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Furihata has a part-time job as a server in a classy restaurant, which is where he first places eyes on the wordlessly handsome Akashi. It's not Furihata's first love, but he has really fallen for the boy with heterochromatic eyes. AU-ish Akafuri</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_From the first moment I saw him, I thought he was the handsomest thing I'd ever laid my eyes on._

It was a rather normal day. I had ridden my bike to work, and changed into the traditional server's dress that was exactly the same for everyone. Even the girls who worked there. My co-worker, who I was rather close to, usually worked the same shifts as I did.

"Aww! Furi-kun!" Aiya, my friend - also the co-worker I mentioned before - cooed. Her long, black hair was tied back already. She smiled and grabbed my face, squishing my cheeks.

"You would look so cute as a girl, but as a boy you're so plain..." she complained slightly, placing her hands on her hips and observing me. I sighed, frowning at her.

"You say that because you have a fetish for transexuals," I replied, my eyebrow twitching slightly. She didn't actually have a fetish for them, I just said it to annoy her. I hated how she always said I would make a cute girl. It was annoying.

"I do not!" she replied with a sharp intonation. I smiled slightly, and she pushed me forward.

"For that, you'll have to go take that table!" she said. I looked at her in surprise. It was rare for Aiya to give up a table, but when I finally looked at the people who were sitting there, my heart dropped into my stomach. They were all very refined and _very intimidating._ I looked back at Aiya nervously.

"But... Aiya-chan..." I began to protest. She smiled slightly and handed me a notepad.

"Good, you're already repenting. Now _go_ ," she gave me another shove, and I stumbled over to the table. I didn't know that I'd be thanking (mentally) her later. I smiled slightly at the group, straightening my posture nervously.

"Hello, my name is Furihata Kouki, and I will be your server today," I smiled, letting the words flow naturally from my lips. It was a trained skill, I had done it enough to where I could say it flawlessly despite the situation. The woman with an eye patch barely acknowledged me. However, the boy who sat across from her looked up at me. The moment our eyes met, I felt my heart stop. He was so _handsome_. I couldn't help the blush that crawled up into my cheeks.

"I would like some coffee, black," he told me, his lips tilting upwards slightly on the left side. It was almost a sadistic grin. I was _terrified_ yet completely enthralled. I barely tore my eyes away from the two mismatched eyes of his. _Red and Yellow_. The woman looked up at me with a brilliant smile on her face. Under that shine, I felt like I was receiving some sort of death glare.

"I would like the earl gray tea, and he would like water," she said. That was when I first noticed the very plain man who sat by the other guy. He had black hair and dark brown eyes. One would think _he_ would be the one standing out, since the other two looked very similar, but those two had a lot of personality and charisma. Even I could tell just by looking at them. I quickly scribbled that down, and smiled again.

"I will be right back with your drinks," I informed them, bowing quickly. I turned my back, and immediately heard the woman begin talking.

"This is Fairway Allen. He's the head of the company XX," she sounded scarily cheerful. It didn't seem at all like a normal business meeting. I walked into the kitchen with the intention of retrieving their drinks.

"How did it go?" Aiya asked me, as she poured a cup of earl gray for me. I smiled slightly. She looked at me with a half smile. She almost looked sorry for me.

"I feel like it's going to be a long day," I replied, my shoulders slumping slightly. Aiya patted my back and placed the tea cup on the tray I was holding.

"You'll make it," she replied. Aiya would've been encouraging if she hadn't been the one to force me to serve the table. All the other servers gave me sympathetic looks. Apparently the two had been here before. I carried the drinks out to their table without incident. I placed the drinks in front of them with ease, remembering rather easily where each went.

"Are you all ready to order?" I asked with a small smile. The woman looked at (what I assumed was) her son.

"Seijurou, you order first," she seemed to suggest to her son, yet it came across as more of an order than anything else. I decided to pretend I didn't notice and continue to smile. He turned to me, meeting my eyes quickly. My heart melted a little. I didn't know how I'd come to have mixed feelings for such a stranger, but they existed nonetheless.

"Hmm..." he said without looking away from me, "I'll have the crab." I blinked, shivers running down my spine. I nodded and looked toward the very plain man. While the other two ordered, I could feel his eyes lingering on me. It was a little bit exciting. I practically fast walked away because I couldn't handle the atmosphere that was there. As much as I liked seeming interesting before the red haired gent's eyes, his mother scared me so much more. She had this penetrating smile that made me feel like my soul was dying.

Nothing all that interesting ended up happening in the end. I was just overly nervous the entire time. The stress ended up making me feel tired for the rest of the day. After work, I trudged home and fell into bed, fully prepared to sleep for the rest of my life. Instead, I went to school and worked hard and attended basketball practice as I usually did because, even though I had met a handsome guy, he was merely a customer, and I probably wasn't going to see him again. Which made me kind of sad.


	2. Chapter 2

It wasn't the easiest thing for me. Obviously, I wasn't your average guy, ogling over women's boobs and such, but the fact that I was _gay_ , shouldn't even make things so difficult. But I couldn't control who I fell for, and sadly, I had felt a deep attraction for the seemingly well off man that I'd waited on a few days ago. There were guys on the basketball team with me that were gay as well, but I was pretty sure none of my teammates even knew. In fact, the only person who actually knew was Aiya.

Aiya, who was hell bent on getting me to cross-dress at some point. I wasn't very good at choosing my best friends, it seemed. It wasn't all that bad though, having her bug me about those sorts of things all the time. The hard part was probably working everyday after school, so that my family could have a little spending money each week. Lately though, my parents have been gifting my brother more than usual, and I had a bad feeling of impending doom from it. There wasn't much I could do about that though.

I changed into my uniform swiftly, Aiya wasn't working that day. _Lucky_ _her_ _._ I was quick to slip into this numb persona while at work as I usually did. It insured that I didn't get too worked up over customers. At about midday, a certain person waltzed into the restaurant, dressed sharply in a white suit with a red shirt and tie. His heterochromatic eyes almost instantly landing on me. He even told the waitress who offered to serve him, probably because without his mom he was less _insane_ looking, and told her that he'd prefer it if I was his waiter.

I didn't particularly know how to deal with that, but I rushed over the first moment that I had time, even if it would've been best taken as a breather. The shop was a bit hectic on Fridays. Just meeting his eyes was like receiving a break. A rush of warmth invaded my veins, and my fingertips tingled with excitement.

"What can I get for you today, sir?" I smiled nervously. He smiled slightly, his eyes glinting mischievously.

"Just a cup of earl gray tea," he replied, and for several days this continued. He became _my_ repeat customer. I saw him everyday while I was working, and soon enough I knew his name, _Akashi_ _Seijurou_. It was the most beautiful name I'd ever heard. I found myself looking forward to work everyday. I just couldn't help it.

.

"Alright guys, our next match is up against the Rakuzan team," Riko said, staring each of the basketball team's members down with a fiery glare of confidence. It was hard for me to return the gaze with such a strong expression. Kuroko, for all of his expressionless stature, had an equally excited feel to him. That could only mean that we would be up against the Generation of Miracles.

"The person we all need to watch out for the most is the Generation of Miracles' _Akashi_ _Seijurou_ ," Riko continued, crossing her arms over her chest. I froze. Akashi was on the Rakuzan team? I was suddenly feeling an intense mixture of excitement and fear. I'd never seen him outside of work. Would he even acknowledge me? I feared that the lovely dream of him becoming a repeat customer for me could be shattered at this coming game.

"So, let's practice even harder!" Riko said with a gleaming smirk. A smirk that struck fear into the hearts of the Seirin basketball team members. It meant that they were in for a rough week.

.

I rarely had to actually ask Akashi what he wanted that day. There was always something about his demeanor that said "Earl Gray" or "Green" teas to me. I even knew the exact amount of sugar he liked in his tea, and what kinds he wanted with just a touch of milk or honey. I loved learning these things about him. It was so fun, but that day he wasn't even at the shop. He didn't actually come for the rest of the week either. Maybe he was training hard for the upcoming basketball game.

"Hey, Furi-kun," Aiya said to me suddenly. I jumped, almost dropping the tray I was holding.

"What is it, Aiya?" I asked, placing a dish on the tray slowly. She placed her hands on her hips, a slight, knowing look passed over her face.

"You're stressed out," she pointed out quickly, "You are going to go home with me today. We haven't hung out for a few weeks." I nodded almost automatically, barely considering her words in my mind. Aiya was right, and I couldn't reject the offer even if I wanted to. With Aiya, I could be a bit... _feminine_ with no repercussions. The lack of repercussions was the best part.

"I'll call my parents after work," I replied with the tiniest of smiles. There were a lot of things on my mind, and my daily breather was nowhere to be found. I felt like I was getting worked to the bone for no reason at all. All the new things that my parents were buying still had a sharp edge in my mind. Where were they getting all that money from? I had a bad feeling of impending doom that draped itself over me whenever I thought about it.

Aiya walked at my side, talking about a large variety of things as we went in the direction of her house. I wasn't attempting to listen or anything, and she knew it, but she also didn't allow the world we seemed to be in at the time fade into silence. I, at the time, didn't understand why she feared silence so much. She always seemed like the sort of person that you should strive to be like. She came from a good middle class family, even if she had a step-parent. She seemed _happy_.

"Alright, now you need to let loose a bit, Furi-kun... You're starting to look like my dad does after a big project," Aiya said gently, rubbing one of my shoulders. I think we were able to be such close friends because we both shared common interests, and my being gay made it like she just had a female friend.

"What's been occupying you mind lately?" Aiya asked slowly. We entered her house, and she quickly ushered me into her room before her step-mom could stop us and drag us into some obscurely friendly conversation.

"It's my parents..." I began slowly within the comforting confines of her room. So many secrets existed in that room, and not a one was ever breathed to another soul, no matter how questionable the certain topic may have been.

"What about them?" Aiya asked without missing a, beat. She used her bed as a back rest, and I sat beside her, staring up at the ceiling.

"We seem to have suddenly come across a cash windfall, but I can't help but have a bad feeling about it all," I replied, closing my eyes and letting out a sigh. I felt like I was finally catching my breath that week.

"Hmm..." Aiya thought for a moment, "Such an occurrence in a family like yours is never a good sign... Do you think they might be facing the Esquire soon?" Aiya suddenly looked panicked when she looked at me. My heart dropped. I felt like everything had frozen in me. I had never thought that far ahead, but what Aiya had just said was true. That _was_ what I'd been thinking.

"Y-yes..." I whispered. Aiya grabbed my hands, gripping them tightly. She looked so scared for me.

"You know people will die, right? They judge you by worth, and it's usually the children who are taken out of the equation to clear the debt," Aiya said in a hushed voice. It had rose a pitch, and her pretty green eyes looked so pained. She pulled my hands toward her warmer chest. I stared at her, eyebrows drawn into a deeply pensive expression. My brother was better in school than me...

"Don't worry, Aiya," I told her with a fake smile, "Nothing is going to change." I did my best to look relieved, but Aiya began to cry.

"Don't try to lie to me, or fool me with looks like that! We're best friends, aren't we?" she cried in a pained voice, "You're not telling me something, and I need to know!" I pulled my hands out of hers, standing slowly.

"Sometimes it's better to be ignorant," I replied with a small smile. Aiya would know soon enough, and she probably wouldn't like the hand that was dealt, but life was never fair. I left for home, even though it was late, and my parents weren't expecting me. I wondered what was going to happen to me. My peaceful life was falling apart when I wanted the most for nothing to ever change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The AU-ish plot thickens... Anyways, I tried to foreshadow enough to give you all a taste of what is to come. This story is a rather dark one (forgive me), though I hope to lighten the atmosphere with the (mixture of) Akafuri and Furiaka to come! 
> 
> ~Minatu-chan


	3. Chapter 3

Akashi Seijurou came from a very well known family. His father ran CG Corporations, which governed over the vast majority of Japan's entertainment businesses. There were so many little branches of it, such as _Pony Canyon_ that the branches were mere guises of the true power CG Corp. held.

As such, the Akashi family was very informed when it came to any sort of business in the upper class world. All of the business tycoons had a sort of association with each other, as was necessary for the Esquire to continue to be aware of the empire's politics and financial situations. The world was not free enterprise, or anything of the sort. What made the world was power, intelligence and capabilities. The Esquire held all of these, and was marked from the moment of birth.

The way to identify the new Esquire was very simple, actually. The Esquire had a birthmark, the mark of a slight mutation. It was faint, but noticeable nonetheless. A new Esquire would rise to power at the age of thirty, regardless of whether the old one was still young and strong.

With the full explanation of this, one can now begin to understand why this ties back to the person in question, _Akashi Seijurou_. This boy has an elder sister named Akashi Ayame. She is the next Esquire, and is at the young, ripe age of twenty-two. Ayame is a very unreasonable girl, according to the mother of the Akashi household, but as the next Esquire, Ayame is the head of the household, and obaa-chan wouldn't dare speak out against her and cause a scene.

And so, back to Akashi Seijurou. Seijurou is a quiet boy, very calculating. He keeps secrets, and looks up to his sister a bit, though he would never (not in a million years!) admit to such a thing. Seijurou's eyes are naturally red, and his yellow one originally belonged to Ayame, but that is a story for another time.

Seijurou, as of late, has found himself a bit preoccupied. He can't really help it though. He is the top of his grade and the Rakuzan basketball team's captain. Seijurou has many things to keep himself occupied, but that is not the problem. No, he is _preoccupied_ with something that has very little significance. A handsome waiter, at a restaurant he frequents, has caught his eye. As Ayame once said, "whatever Sei-chan wants _shall_ be granted." Sadly, there is but one problem. Seijurou has become terribly busy and hasn't seen the other in a week. _Furihata Kouki_. Seijurou must seem him immediately. By which he means, the first chance that arrives.

"Ah, Sei-chan, here's where you've been hiding," Ayame said softly. She pulled her younger brother into her lap quickly, resting her chin on the top of his head. Luckily for her, he was relatively short in comparison to herself and a number of basketball players.

"I'm not a child anymore," Seijurou said in a soft voice, but he wasn't particularly protesting. He knew better than to do that. His sister was a just person, and he didn't take much joy in hurting her feelings. Other people, on the other hand, he could care less about.

"You will always be my little brother though," Ayame replied, closing her eye with a sigh.

"Is there going to be a trial then?" Seijurou asked, his sister always became this tired when she had to attend court at some point in the week. There was lots of work to be done to finalize everything for the court decree.

"Mmm..." she hummed softly, "Poor kid. He's only your age, and he has to take on the responsibility for his parents' debts." Ayame must have thought of Akashi when she took up the trial, since she noted on the age closeness.

"What's his name?" Seijurou asked slowly. For some reason, he was worried it might be his precious Kouki, since the boy worked basically everyday as a waiter. It was quite possible that it wasn't as well though.

"I think it was something like Furataku Kuuki..." Ayame replied. Seijurou stiffened immediately in response.

"Do you mean Furihata Kouki?" he asked slowly. Ayame jolted awake at her brothers words.

"Yeah! That's it! Wait... Do you know him, Sei-chan?" she asked worriedly. For Seijurou to notice so quickly... there were only a few things that it could mean, and Ayame was prepared to promise her dear younger brother the world at a moment's notice.

"Yes..." Seijurou replied after a long time. She took Seijurou's face in her hands. Ayame gave him a serious look.

"Do you like him?" she asked. Ayame knew better than anyone that Seijurou was not easily understood, but she was convinced that they shared a bond that helped them understand each other better than what was believed to be possible. She had feelings of when something changed in Seijurou.

"I guess," he replied, not even making eye-contact with Ayame. Ayame frowned slightly, but knew Seijurou was probably just embarrassed.

"If it's just an 'I guess' then don't worry. You won't miss him," she replied. She had a knack for being brutally honest when teasing her brother. Ayame knew that it wasn't really an "I guess" of an answer, but she wanted to mess with him anyway.

"Aya. I will miss him," Seijurou retorted with a slightly enraged look. Ayame smiled slightly.

"Then offer to buy him at court."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, I know that last bit isn't exactly "morally right" by today's standards, but it was commonplace not too long ago, and I'm sure it still continues in some third world countries. Although this story is supposed to take on a more AU/future-istic feel, I want to tackle a ton of controversial topics. So bear with me...?
> 
> The chapter was a bit short, but I was giving a bit of Akashi insight, which I don't have too much of... since I fear he is a bit too easy for me to write. I feel like I might stray from his personality too much. My style was also different from the other two chapters, as it should be with this one. I feel like this chapter was more of a "break away" chapter.
> 
> If it's too weird for your tastes, let me know.
> 
> ~Minatu-chan


	4. Chapter 4

It happened a little too fast for me to react. A well dressed man came into the middle of class and muttered something in the teacher's ear. Next thing I knew, I was taken out of class. I was going to court to take responsibility for my parent's debts. By doing this, I had been deemed the least valuable child by grades and other factors. So, I was going to be executed as my parents punishment, but their current debt would be cleared. The popular preference was "taking responsibility" but really it was an execution. A life was given a price value. It was probably more money than I'd make in my miserable life anyway.

Walking into the courtroom, there was a number of wealthy spectators. It was kind of frightening how they gazed upon you with basically lifeless eyes. Or they looked like predators. I'd heard it was possible for you to be bought in the court, but it was actually a bit rare. I didn't want to die.

"The debt of the Furihata family is at 4,256,394,124.78 yen," the judge began, "Thus, in order for the family to claim bankruptcy and clear their debt, their son, Furihata Kouki, will take responsibility." The judge stared down at me with a pitying look. That was the last thing I wanted when I was about to die, so I glared.

"This is approved by the next Esquire, Akashi Ayame-sama," the judge said with a sweeping motion. Without even thinking, I looked over to where the judge had pointed and saw him, _Akashi Seijurou_. My heart beat practically stopped. I was so lucky to be able to see him one last time before my death. As painful as the thought of him being there of all places was.

"There shall now be time for someone to offer their guidance to this child," the judge said. A wave of silence rushed over the room as a single person stood. I felt my heart drop into my feet. Akashi was standing with a single arm raised. There were a couple of people who had begun standing who simply sat back down. I had known it could also appear to be an auction, but apparently no one wanted to have a face-off with him. I felt so relieved that in the end I was left with emptiness. There were no words to describe being purchased in front of a handful of the world's richest people by the guy you like.

"The debt is cleared. Furihata Kouki is now under the protection of the Akashi family, his family ties no longer exist. Are there any objections?" the judge began finalizing the transactions. A low murmur passed through the people, and I had a suddenly bad feeling about all that was happening.

After a few more formalities, the court was cleared and all of the fashionably dressed people were clearing out. An interesting man in a pink feather coat was laughing loudly while talking to a man in a trench coat and top hat. Rich people dressed in the most interesting ways...

"Hello. I know this is a bit of shock, but," Akashi said to me. I blinked several times, my heart rate suddenly shooting up.

"Ah! Umm..." I began stupidly, unable to even form proper words. The girl with him smiled widely. I suddenly realized that she couldn't be Akashi's sister. She looked much younger outside of the restaurant environment.

"Come on, you two. We don't have all day," Akashi-sama said, leading us out of the courthouse. Akashi was quickly at her side, conversing with her. I felt rather awkward, on the other hand. Even if I liked Akashi, our social statuses rarely even acknowledged each other, and now that I was basically a piece of property, there was even less of chance for him to look at me as a potential suitor. I was basically out of luck. The two stepped into a black car that seemed a bit _small_ for the amount of people we had. Suddenly, a hand reached out to me and placed me in Akashi's lap. Akashi-sama was laughing, obviously amused. I turned a bright red color.

"Take us home," she called to the driver cheerfully.

"Are you sure you don't want to pick up anymore people?" he replied good naturedly. Akashi-sama laughed.

"Oh no. I think we're good," she replied. I was curious about the eye patch she wore. Suddenly I dropped a few inches to the seat. Akashi had moved so that I was sitting between his legs. Despite his height, his legs were rather long.

"Don't stared," he whispered in my ear. I froze and closed my eyes, not knowing where else to look. The car ride seemed to last forever. Akashi's scent was overwhelming.

.

At the Akashi house, which was seriously the largest house I'd ever seen, not including apartment complexes, of course. I hadn't quite come to terms with my situation until that moment. Akashi-sama led me inside while Akashi left in the car, probably going to school. I then wondered if I'd go to school ever again.

"Hey, Kouki-kun?" Akashi-sama said, waving a hand in front of my face. I blinked and looked at her in a bit of surprise. I had fallen deep into the bubble of my thoughts. She smiled in amusement. Akashi-sama had seemed a bit scary the first time I met her, but she seemed very nice.

"Y-yes, Akashi-sama?" I began nervously. I didn't want to offend her, but I was embarrassed by the way she addressed me. It was a little to informal for me, and too sudden.

"You can call me Ayame," she replied.

"A-alright, Ayame-sama," I quipped, trying to keep it a bit formal. I was blushing because I had said her name like that. Ayame-sama laughed in amusement.

"You're so innocent!" she said, tugging at my cheek gently. She was being a bit doting for no reason at all.

"When Sei-chan isn't here, you obey only me, but Sei-chan has authority over me, okay?" Ayame-sama told me with a sudden seriousness. She was the next Esquire, so I wasn't all that surprised by this, but why was she being so specific about who I was to listen to?

"Y-yes," I agreed quickly, at least that made things easier on me, but how was I supposed to ignore another family member's orders? By bowing and running off? Ayame-sama motioned for me to follow her. She had a female maid bring her tea and had me sit in the room with her while she drank tea and read the newspaper. Occasionally she would note something in it and try to get me to talk to her about it. I wondered if she was gauging my level of intelligence. The two of us continued like this until a woman in a traditional yutaka entered the room. She wasn't old, but she wasn't young either. So I assumed that she was the real mother. She had red eyes.

"Ayame, who is this?" she asked with a slightly condescending tone. Ayame-sama made a face of annoyance.

"Obaa-san, this is Furihata Kouki. He is a servant to Sei-chan and I," she said darkly, as if she was trying to force this concept onto her mother.

"Then could he kindly go and fetch me a maid?" Akashi-san asked. I didn't move, immediately looking to Ayame-sama for directions.

"No, kaa-san. You do not understand. He does not obey you," Ayame-sama said with a strongly authoritative tone. Akashi-san frowned, but left in a flurry of colored fabric. Ayame-sama sighed, leaning into a single hand.

"Don't let her bully you into doing anything. She just loves to mess with me," she told me. I nodded slightly. What seemed to be a few hours later, Akashi walked into the room, his hair wet from basketball practice. He looked handsomer, for some reason, to me.

"Sei-chan~" Ayame-sama smiled, patting me on the head like I was a pet. "I had fun with Kouki-kun today." I smiled slightly, since my nerves were already shot from the incident with the lady of the house. She kind of scared me.

"Come with me," Akashi said, ignoring his sister ruefully. Ayame-sama waved to me, and I followed behind Akashi as would be respectful of a servant. Akashi grabbed my arm and pulled me in stride with him, and I found that my eyes came just over his head. He probably hadn't quite hit his growth spurt yet. He could actually end up taller than me if I wasn't careful. I was shorter than his sister - though it wasn't by much - so, it was quite possible.

Akashi didn't say anything, and I was at a loss as to what I was supposed to do, so I just kept quiet. Akashi opened a door swiftly to reveal a mostly empty room. He stepped into it the turned to me.

"This is your room. My room..." he opened one of the other sets of doors to reveal a slightly messy room.

"...is right here. You are staying in _my_ servant's quarters, so I'm sure Ayame already told you that you only listen to me," Akashi told me. His eyes took on a dark expression when he continued and said, "So don't listen to anyone else unless I say that you may." I nodded quickly. Akashi smirked slightly, an expression that looked unbelievably good on him. He stepped into his room and shut the bridge between us. I opened the final set of doors to reveal a closet. A futon was stuffed on the top shelf along with pillows and blankets. I pulled them out, discovering it to be the softest futon I'd ever touched.

It was already pretty late so I was content to collapse on the futon in a pair of pajamas I found in the closet. I closed my eyes to fall asleep, and I surprisingly slept better than I had in awhile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, nothing has really happened in the romance aspect yet, but there a lot of factors that I have to mess with and such. I will not really explain how Furihata's family fell into this debt, so I explain it. He does not owe money to the Esquire. The Esquire is basically the president in this sense. Furihata's family owes money to banks and such. They have debt the same way that a lot of families do these days...
> 
> Akashi's being a bit careful.
> 
> ~Minatu-chan


	5. Chapter 5

Light trickled through one of the windows in Seijurou's room. He blinked slowly, lifting himself away from the mattress. Half of his red hair was flattened against his skin, leaving him appearing rather lopsided. He started to reach up to rub his eyes, but stopped himself, settling for a yawn instead. Seijurou (whom we shall call Akashi after this point) opened the door to his servant's quarters without a moment's thought, thus shocking a young boy out of his slumber. It took several moments for the confused brunette to even figure out what was going on.

"Do you want to transfer to my school this year or wait until next year?" Akashi asked with a yawn. He was barely aware himself, but he felt the need to address this problem immediately, as would be best for them to begin making the necessary plans to have it taken care of. Furihata stared at Akashi then rubbed his eyes and blinked several times.

"Do what?" he replied meekly. Akashi's fist clenched in a slight show of frustration. He glared at the offending person ruthlessly. Furihata merely cowered, feeling terrible for not being awake enough to fully register Akashi's question.

"When will you transfer to Rakuzan, this year or next?" Akashi said through his teeth. He hated to repeat himself. It seemed like an unnecessary trouble and a pure waste of breath.

"Next year, if that's okay with you... I'd like to give my friends a fair warning and all," Furihata answered, his sentence slowly disappearing into a low mumble. Akashi nodded slightly and wandered back to his own room, seeming to have something on his mind.

.

I walked into school that morning, and everyone's eyes were immediately glued to me. I had been absent from school for two days. One of which was the court day, the other Akashi made me stay home and rest. I guess he thought I might have been stressed out by all of the changes that had suddenly been thrusted upon me. I smiled slightly at my classmates before slipping into my usual spot by the window.

After all of my classes, I went to basketball practice. Riko practically tackled me.

"Furihata-kun! You're alive!" she cheered, then almost as if she were bipolar, she punched me in the face, "Where have you been!?" Riko's hands rested upon her hips as she stared me down. I cowered slightly beneath her glare.

"Well, I'm now the property of... someone, and I'll be transferring schools after winter break..." I mumbled. Riko stared at me in shock along with the rest of the Seirin basketball team.

"So it only went a little better than we feared..." Hyuuga sighed. Teppei suddenly began patting me on the back gently.

"Let's enjoy the time we have left together then," he said with a wistful smile. Hyuuga sighed again, pushing up his glasses and Riko crossed her arms before returning to evil coach mode.

"WE STILL HAVE A MATCH IN TWO DAYS! SLAKERSSSS!" she roared. So we all practiced until we felt like our bodies were going to disintegrate. When I returned to the Akashi mansion, Akashi was already home. He was sitting in the middle of my room, reading a book that I didn't take the time to observe the cover of. I settled for falling face first into my futon which was still laid out from the night before.

"We had some things delivered from your house," Akashi said, looking up from his book. He gestured to the three or four boxes in the corner of the room.

"Okay," I said into my pillow miserably. Akashi's eyes wandered over me curiously. He seemed a bit curious about my disinterest in everything. I was so tired that I could barely bear to look at anything other than Akashi. Akashi was so handsome...

"Are you okay, Kouki?" Akashi asked, addressing me by my first name. This sent a jolt through me. My name even sounded elegant coming from his lips. It was so _nice_. I smiled slightly, turning my face into my pillow.

"Yes, Akashi-sama," I smiled without restraints, an odd, giddy feeling pooling through me. I was glad that I could hide my face with the pillow because it would be embarrassing if Akashi saw the face that I was making. Akashi stood and left the room, most likely going into his own. I smiled widely like I was a simple minded young girl.

Did Akashi even know that we were going to face off in a game in a few days? I wondered...

.

Somehow, the day of our game with Rakuzan sped towards the present. Even though being at the Akashi residence made me a bit nervous, and caused the hours to feel longer, the basketball match approached at the speed of light. When I was headed toward where the match was going to be held, I saw something that made it very tempting to turn around and just go home...

I had never expected this at all. Kagami seemed like the straightest guy on our team. His eyes trailed after almost every girl with a figure. Yet there he was, basically dragging Kuroko into the depths of hell with such a passionate kiss. My stomach felt like a rock. I didn't want to watch, but I couldn't turn away either. The whole sight was terrifying, actually. It looked like Kagami might just accidentally break Kuroko, the way his hands were tightly grasping onto the tiny guy.

A hand covered my eyes.

"Jealous...?" a smooth voice asked slowly. I stiffened immediately.

"Akashi-sama!?" I gasped, my hand hovering near his wrist. I felt as if my ears were failing me. Akashi seemed a bit... _angry_. At the same time though, that possibility seemed so terribly impossible that I attempted to merely wave it off as such. Akashi's hand pressed harder against my face, and I was pulled into his chest.

"If you're jealous, then say so," he commanded me and removed his hand. My fingertips just barely made contact with the back of his hand. I felt Akashi pull away, and I couldn't help the slight frown of disappointment that appeared on my face.

"No... I'm not. Just a bit shocked is all," I answered slowly. Akashi's eyes narrowed and he stared into my own. I cowered slightly, feeling a slight rise of guilt. I clenched my hands and frowned even deeper.

"I'm not. I don't like him anymore..." I muttered, more to myself than Akashi. Suddenly, Akashi had me by my chin and was glaring listlessly into my wide eyes. I was painfully aware of the fact that if I tilted my head slightly and moved my face five centimeters our lips would meet.

"Who? Who did you like?" Akashi demanded darkly. Terror washed over me in waves. My lips fell open slightly as I obtained a feeling of not having enough air.

"I... I..." I began, barely able to form a feasible sentence. Akashi didn't move or change his expression in the slightest.

"It's fine. It doesn't matter anymore... I like someone else," I replied, closing my eyes. My emotions felt like they were riding a roller coaster. It was exhausting. Akashi's hand loosened its grip.

When I opened my eyes, Akashi wasn't looking at me anymore. He dropped my chin and strode away. I looked to see where he was going and spotted a couple of his team members. I paled. Did they see us like that? My heart thundered in my chest impressively. I let out a huge sigh and trudged toward the court.

"Furihata!" Kagami waved like the giant idiot he was. I smiled back and waved. Kuroko stared at me skeptically, probably noticing that my smile was a bit forced. Hyuuga was talking to Coach and Izuki while Teppei sat back, smiling a bit.

"Hey guys," I said slowly when I came closer to them. Kuroko nodded, and Kagami caught me by my neck and pressed his fist into my head. I immediately went limp, blushed and then began to struggle unhappily.

"Cheer up, Furihata!" Kagami told me, still smiling widely. Kuroko smiled ever so slightly, most likely amused. Then a pair of scissors passed through my field of vision. Kagami dropped me, stepping back faster than I could even think.

"Whoa!" Kuroko's eyes had widened a bit, and I barely managed to keep myself from ending up sprawled across the floor. I had help though. Someone was holding me by the back of my jacket. Akashi pulled me to my feet and continued to glare at Kagami.

"Good reactions..." he noted aloud, drawing the scissors back, "Too bad." Kuroko's face distorted slightly into one of irritation. There was a long, bloody line across Kagami's cheek, the nose only knicked slightly on the bridge, not even bleeding really.

"What the hell was that!?" Kagami blurted in a fit of anger. His dark eyes flamed. I felt my eyebrows fall in irritation. I didn't like how Kagami was addressing Akashi in the slightest.

"Akashi-san..." Kuroko began slowly, "Furihata-kun could have been hurt in your assessment."

"Kagami! What happened to your face!" Coach yelled suddenly, looking mortified and worried at the same time. Hyuuga looked just as shocked. Akashi turned to me at Kuroko's words. His eyes quickly assessing me. He touched the top of my head, and I cringed slightly. It felt like Kagami had rubbed the skin raw and bruised it. He was a bit too rough sometimes. Akashi's expression darkened slightly.

"Pity..." he muttered and removed his hand. With a quick glare to Kagami, he strode off to his team. Kagami grew stoic.

"Nothing much," he answered Coach. She crossed her arms, but didn't pry any further. Kuroko was staring at me curiously. Kagami looked at Kuroko with almost sad face.

"Kuroko... Weren't you worried about me?" he asked Kuroko in a low voice when he thought no one was listening.

"I knew you would be fine," Kuroko answered coldly. Kagami looked like he had just been hit by the frozen cold of the arctic winds. Then Kuroko gave Kagami a quick peck, and Kagami was sent to heaven. I was kind of shocked that I'd never noticed it though. I turned away, my thoughts travelling to Akashi. I was so distracted that I didn't even know who won at first. Then I saw Kagami's huge smirk, a fist raised into the air. Coach was laughing, and it seemed like everyone had this afterglow from an amazing game. I only felt partial though... Akashi had to be devastated that he lost. Teppei ruffled my hair.

"Shocked, huh?" he smiled at me. I nodded slowly, deciding that would be a safer answer anyway. Teppei's eyes shone with a distant expression.

"It was an amazing game," he breathed, seeming to be in awe of how things had played out. Koganei-kun laughed, slinging his arm around my shoulders. Mitobe was close behind.

"Let's celebrate at Magi Burger!" Koganei-kun cheered with a cat-like expression. I slipped out of his arm's hold quickly.

"Ah, I think it's best if I head home now," I told them, bowing my head slightly. I turned, finding Akashi to be watching me from across the gym with his arms crossed. I slowly began to walk toward him, dread filling me with every step. I didn't want to see Akashi with a pained expression.

As soon as I was within reach, Akashi grabbed my wrist and began pulling me along. I glanced back toward my team and saw that they were all watching... dumbfounded. Akashi barely even looked at them. He took me out into the dark night and while shrouded with darkness, embraced me. I quickly (capriciously so) wrapped my arms around him excitedly. The warmth of the hug filled my heart, and Akashi didn't pull away for a long time.

When I finally saw his face, he was back to normal. I found this to be terribly unfair because I was sure that my face was one of the deepest shades of red humanly possible. I slapped my hands on to my vibrantly colored face, staring at Akashi through my fingers.

"Don't tease me. It'll make me hopeful," I whispered. Akashi stared at me curiously.

"Come. We're going home," he told me, motioning with a single hand. It seemed that he had decided to disregard what I'd said. I marked the hug off as Akashi simply wanting a bit of comfort, and I was obviously the most readily available choice. My heart was pounding restlessly. He was making me hopeful...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My computer is British, whilst I am not... Hmmm...
> 
> Seeing as I posted this on FF.net in tandum to here... The following happened:
> 
> I had a question from Multitules about the Esquire position, so here's what I told him/her:
> 
> "An Esquire, literally means a person on a higher standard than a gentleman, by using this term, I try to point out that the Esquires are not necessarily bad people, but are instead trying to keep Law & Order. The Esquire's position in the story is that of a sort of president like in the United States or the Prime Minister of Great Britain."
> 
> I hope that helps if you were confused at all.
> 
> ~Minatu-chan


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, it's a bit short this time, but it's also a lot to take in. So I think in that sense, it's the perfect length. Now this is a PAST chapter, so this has already happened. BEFORE the entire story, basically.

There is very little that I remember of our parting a year ago. What I mostly remember was the emotions. The anger, pain and fear, all the dark, negative emotions that swarmed through my heart as Haizaki was pulled from my arms by men in blue and black, _police_. I couldn't even stop crying.

"No! Stop!" I called desperately, as Haizaki's hand disappeared into the dark blue vehicle. The white and blue lights atop the car burst into life, and I could barely even see anything anymore, the lights taking a dramatic effect on the darkness of the night. Haizaki hadn't done anything wrong.

I knew who had done this though. I _knew_. The person who took Haizaki away from me was going to face the music. That _Akashi Seijurou._

* * *

_"Aiya-chan, don't do anything rash. They only got me on petty theft and assault. I'll only be in here for five years," Haizaki tried to comfort me from the other side of the bullet proof glass wall. I pressed my hand to the glass, staring at my boyfriend._

_"I can't just be quiet and patiently wait for you to come back either. It feels like everyone is trying to keep us apart!" I replied in a pained voice, tears blurring my vision. Haizaki stared at me sadly._

_"I did these things, Aiya-chan. Even if Akashi wanted me to be stuck in here for even longer... It's not something you can handle on your own, okay?" Haizaki told me steadily. I stared at the tiled floor, frowning._

_"I'm not very good at waiting either," I said slowly, "Forgive me, Shougo-kun."_

_"Time's up." A policeman grabbed Haizaki's arm, and he looked at me with wild eyes. I couldn't hear what he was shouting at me, but I was pretty sure he was trying to tell me not to do it. Trying to keep my hands clean, he always said I was still pure. That I could still become something, but my mind was made up. I turned my back on my boyfriend and walked out of the station. I was going to get revenge._

* * *

"You're replacing me with some pretty boy!?" Haizaki roared, red-faced and angry. Akashi rubbed his temples carefully, giving Haizaki a vaguely irritated expression.

"That was the last straw, Haizaki. Even if you're a kleptomaniac, this is too far," Akashi replied, "Kise's the better choice, anyhow. He's better for the team's reputation, _and_ he's better at the sport." Haizaki's fists tightened at his sides.

"I can't help it if it's just the way I am! Damn it!" Haizaki yelled. He loved basketball so much that his heart hurt. It was the only good thing he had going for him, and Akashi was just taking that away from him. Then there was _Kise_. That kid was practically pulled out of the woodwork, and it _pissed_ him off.

"Haizaki, you are dismissed from this team and this _club_ ," Akashi said harshly. Haizaki let out a roar of anger and knocked over a stand, sending basketballs flying across the court.

Later, he could be found in the back of the school burning his basketball sneakers ruefully, yet he could not - _no, he would not_ \- let the tears fall. The agony in his heart was impossible to explain. Haizaki felt as if everything had been taken from him in that moment.

* * *

I stood on a dark corner, watching Akashi leave as he usually did. He would walk to a less populated street and come to where a driver would pick him up. In the distance between the two roads though, Akashi was vulnerable. I felt like I'd waited long enough, so I just went for it. I had no idea what I was going to do. I just acted, a strange animal instinct filling my veins as I propelled myself forward.

Putting everything on the line, I ran out at Akashi and tackled him to the ground and pinned him down. He stared up at me, surprised. I stared back at him with a harsh glare. My mind was roaring and screaming. It wanted only one thing, _his blood._ It was overwhelming. The hues of emotion cascading and fighting against each other as morality seemed to go flying out of the window. I lost control.

"What do you want?" Akashi asked slowly as if I was after something tangible, such as money. I frowned in disgust. how could he not know anything? How could he live with himself every day knowing that he'd crushed someone else's fighting spirit, in fact, thousands of people's fighting spirits. It was unfair.

"Revenge. And I will take it out on you and the rest of your stupid basketball team," I spat in his face. Akashi cringed, but somehow managed to stay calm. His deep red eyes burned into my own. I couldn't stand his silence. It almost felt like he was confident, and I wanted it to hurt. I wanted him to hurt in every way imaginable, to the point that my fingers were even beginning to tremble.

"I would prefer you didn't," Akashi replied. My eyes widened. He _still_ had the _audacity_ to say something like that? What did he think he could do to stop me? I had the upper hand. I was the one in power in that moment, and yet he still put up the front that _he_ was the one with all the power. I wanted to laugh at the hilarity of such a phrase.

"Like I'd listen," I sputtered, reaching for the dentist tool in my pocket that I'd stolen from my father's office. My heart beated erratically in my rib cage, and I could barely contain the strange sense of excitement that was filling me.

"Then take from me what would satisfy you. Just don't touch my team mates," Akashi said, his voice quivering slightly. He wasn't calm, and it had finally shown. I whipped the hooked tool out. I smiled, _yes,_ he'd finally shown that he knew he wasn't in control. That he _knew_ he could not stop me. Wild thoughts flew through my mind as I clutched the hooked tool in my hand, a soft yet strained laugh leaving me.

"You better prepare yourself," I replied, losing what humanity was left in that carbon composed body of mine. My mind washed white.

I had no idea what happened after that, but when my consciousness returned, there was a partially crushed eyeball in my hand, and I was covered in blood, hiding in an alleyway. I stared at my hands, quivering.

"Shougo-kun... Oh, Shougo-kun... What have I done?" I whispered and started to cry, pressing my face into my knees. I couldn't tell anyone about this, and I had a feeling Akashi wasn't going to either, since he seemed to let me take the eye pretty easily. I didn't even recognize myself. What had I done? I wasn't the same girl that I had been before. The sweet, faithful if not protective girlfriend to Haizaki Shougo. I could not hold back that sobs but I also could not let go of that withered eyeball in my hand. I didn't even recognize the voice that whispered in the back of my mind.

_Destroy... Destroy everything..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good chapter, guys. Good chapter. I'm pretty sure it opened a lot of eyes, and I have a feeling that there's going to be a lot of discourse, but I'm going to try to have another one soon~


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * refers to something that will have a note at the bottom of the chapter. I will have noted something if I feel it needs to be explained further or something of the sort. Of course, if there is something in the chapter you'd like me to note, review or PM me to let me know and I will update the chapter with that information. :)

I awoke early in the morning long before the sun had even risen. My heart was beating erratically in my chest, and I felt like I had dreamt of something truly terrible, but I could not remember a single bit of it. In a way, I was rather thankful for that. Who knew what sort of horrors my mind had create in the wake of my subconscious. I closed my eyes, taking in full, deep breaths in attempt to calm my crazed heart. It wasn't really working, at least... it felt like it wasn't. That was when I heard the cry of something that sounded akin to an injured animal, followed by a distinct hiss. I knew then that these noises were most likely not _only_ the cause of my bad dream, but also my waking at such an obscene hour. Slowly, I stood, doing my best to crush the fear that was festering in my heart. I walked into the hall, and then I was able to make out hushed voices. As I moved closer, I could actually make out a few words here and there.

"...but! What shall I do?!" an exasperated cry from someone who I did not know by voice. I moved still closer, curiosity getting the better me. I wanted to know what the dilemma was. Even if it was not for me to know, all I knew was that the voice was masculine yet girly all in the same moment. It was terribly perplexing.

"If you do not attempt to pipe down, I shall refuse to even help you, Ryouta _._ " I knew that voice immediately. Akashi had a guest at such an odd hour, but then again, I had no idea as to what time it was. I was merely assuming. For all I knew, I could have only slept for a mere hour. Or even _less_.

"I'm sorry, Akashicci... Please don't kick me out!" Whining. I really wanted to see who this mysterious "Ryouta" was. I feared that he might just be Akashi's lover or something. That caused a painful lump to form in my throat. I should have known by this point that I needed to stop fantasizing about Akashi falling in love with me, but I really couldn't help myself. He was so _enthralling_. I swallowed quietly.

"Calm down and explain then." He was just as formal and business-like as he had been when I first met him. That brought a small smile to my face as well as kindling a tiny glimmer of hope. Maybe... just maybe I still had a chance. I took a deep breath and bit my lip lightly, listening close to what was about to be said. It felt like anything could happen at that point. A long pause dragged on for several painful seconds. I could barely keep my mind trained on the silence as a mantra began to fill my mind. _Please don't be his lover... Please don't be his lover..._

"Well... um... Da-Dai... Aominecchi... he-he." The voice hiccuped, and I realized that he had been crying during that silence. Akashi did not say anything. I could only figure that he was waiting for "Ryouta"-san* to gather himself and continue. My hands clenched just above my knees, pulling the fabric of my pants into my hands.

"We... br-br-br-broke up..." he fell into muffled sobs, and my heart clenched. I suddenly felt bad for listening in and started to shuffle away when Akashi cleared his throat.

"Eavesdropping is very impolite, you know. I figured my servants would know-" Akashi stopped when he opened the door and his mismatched eyes fell upon me. I cowered slightly, not knowing what to do. I had been caught in the act. Everything was out of my hands at that point.

"I-I!" I gasped, "I'm sorry!" I fell in to a dogenza*, due to the fact that it was the quickest way to bow, and I was already kneeling. Words began flowing out of my mouth faster than I could think at that moment, "I-I just was w-wondering what was going on. Si-since it woke me up and all... an-and I couldn't really help it... I'm- I'm so sorry!"

A smooth sigh resounded above me, "Kouki." I immediately stopped speaking, slowly rising up to meet his eyes as nervous as I was. His expression to me was unreadable, but he suddenly held a hand out to me. "Get up." It was a simple command, but somehow it reassured me that he was not mad. A small sigh of relief escaped me, but I refused Akashi's hand. I had to stand on my own, for pride's sake. Akashi then turned away from me, and I then felt the anger that was pulsing through him. My eyes widened in fright, and a hand quickly flew to my mouth as I suppressed a muffled cry.

"Ryouta... This is what I warned you about," Akashi said in a slow, calm voice. "Ryouta"-san sniffled and raised his head. My heart stopped as I came to the realization that this "Ryouta" that I had been wondering about was Kise-san, one of the Generation of Miracles that I had faced with the rest of Seirin. Relief flooded through me. There was no way that anything was going on between Kise and Akashi. The two were too different.

"I... I'm sorry, Akashicci," Kise apologized while rubbing at his swollen eyes. He seemed rather torn up about his recent break up with the person he was muttering about earlier. I didn't know what to think, or even what to say. I just watched in silence.

Akashi reigned in his anger as he leaned over to tell Kise something, which I did not catch a word of, but it seemed to place the fear of an untimely death in him. I decided that it was probably best that I didn't know. Then I realized something.

"A... Ano, A-Akashi-sama..." I began nervously. Akashi immediately devoted his full attention to me. It was amazing how quickly he seemed to alter absolutely everything about himself as he turned from Kise to me. I nervously swallowed before finally getting my question out, "What time is it?" Akashi seemed a bit taken aback for a moment, but he quickly recovered, lifting his wrist to look at the silver watch that sat on his elegant wrist.

"Hmm... Half-past five," he responded. His eyes glinted, appearing almost cat-like for a moment, "Kouki, do you know how to play shogi?" I had no idea what brought that question up, but he quickly led me out of the room where Kise was, closing the traditional doors behind him. It seemed like he was attempting to give Kise space.

"N-no..." I muttered, feeling bad for not knowing something.

"Then I shall teach you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Furi-kun feels uncomfortable (and impolite) referring to a complete stranger without honorifics, so he ends up adding them in for Kise... but he only knows Kise by last name, so he does not realize that who Akashi is speaking to is Kise Ryouta from GoM. To him, it could be anyone. Furi-kun is so cute! :3
> 
> * Bowing with one's nose to the ground. I guess the Western equivalent would be kissing a man's boots (feet) as you beg for forgiveness or kiss up to them.
> 
> \---
> 
> Wooo... Done with that chapter!
> 
> ~Minatu-chan


	8. Chapter 8

Akashi ended up leaving me to play with Ayame-sama for a while when he went back to go talk to Kise-san. I had no idea as to what exactly the conversation entailed, but I was sure that Akashi had gone to cheer Kise-san up. I wasn't sure why I thought that when Akashi usually acted so cold, but I had seen his more open side once when he had hugged me after the championship game. I felt the Generation of Miracles just had to know of that side to him to some degree at least.

And jeez! Shogi is so hard! Ayame-sama had to have beaten me at least ten times already at the game, though she was careful to explain my mistakes and how I came about to lose, even though it was hard to wrap my mind around each time. I did my best to listen to her and learn, but it didn't seem to be working as she blew through my attempts time after time.

Then Akashi reappeared after sending Kise-san home in a car. He seemed amused by the look of frustration on my face.

"Aya, you don't have to go so hard on him," Akashi commented with a small smile. It was so tiny that without looking for it, you would have never know the smile was there. I had rarely seen any sort of expression on Akashi's face, so this smile excited me to some degree.

"Oh, but his face is just _so_ adorable!" Ayame-sama gushed with a weird smile.

"I'll let you finish this game, and then I'll teach him how to play _properly_ ," Akashi replied, dismissing her words completely. Ayame pulled a frown.

"I'm doing a fine job of teaching him, thank you very much," Ayame snapped back. She quickly moved a silver piece, barely thinking about the game anymore. Akashi turned to me, and I automatically jumped at the intensity of his gaze.

"Is she, Kouki?"

"I... I-I don't know!" I cried and hid my face. I was too confused to really give much of an opinion.

"I think you just failed as a teacher, Aya," Akashi said. I could hear the smirk on Akashi's face at that point. Ayame-sama made no attempt to reply.

* * *

The Seirin basketball club was astounded by the girl that stood in front of the gym doors that afternoon. Her long, black hair was tied into a braid that lay calmly on one of her shoulders, but that wasn't what was so eye-catching about her. The smooth, full curves of her hourglass figure and the small pout on her lips. The trembling of her knees as she stood before all of the giant, muscular basketball club members.

"F-Furi-kun..." she barely managed to stutter. Tears filled her eyes as she felt herself becoming overwhelmed by the leering eyes of Furihata's teammates.

"ALL OF YOU. TEN LAPS, NOW," Riko roared angrily at them and pointed before turning to the girl with a smile.

"Who are you?" Riko asked with a gentle smile. The girl let out a sigh of relief and smiled back at Riko. She appeared to be better at one-on-one conversations, and it did not take long for Riko to make note of her school uniform. It was not a Seirin high one, so she was obviously from another school.

"My name is Yukimura Aiya," she answered with a small bow. Despite the airs that _Yukimura_ was obviously putting on before Riko, Riko knew that the girl was not all that she made herself out to be. She quickly returned to the original sentence that she had been attempting to pull out since she came to the school, "Is Furi-kun he-"

"A-Aiya-chan!?" Furihata gasped. His surprise was clearly written across his face. Aiya burst into tears at the sight of her friend.

"Furi-kunnnn!" she cried, practically tackling him to the ground. She pressed a cheek to his, holding him close to her with her arms wrapped tightly around his face, "Why didn't you call me or anything? All I knew from the boss is that your employment was nullified, whatever that meant! I was so worried!" Furihata held her, rubbing her back gently.

"I'm sorry," he muttered. Everyone else, as in the bystanders (or Seirin basketball team), were staring at this sudden scene in shock.

"Ne, Furihata. Is this your girlfriend or something?" Hyuuga asked with a confused expression. He would never be able to make sense of how such hot girls fell for such plain guys like Kuroko and Furihata. It was just one of those things he could not wrap his mind around. Neither of the two responded, seeing as Furihata was incapable of doing much more than waving his arms, which he was currently doing and Aiya was in tears still. When Aiya finally let go of Furihata, he turned to his captain.

"No, she's not my girlfriend," he answered simply, "This is my friend, Yukimura Aiya. We used to work with each other at _XX,_ the coffee shop near my house." Again, Hyuuga was bewildered by how such plain guys that were around such beautiful girls that _clearly seemed to like them_ had such beautiful girls around them still... Aiya had hidden behind Furihata's shoulder, which luckily for her, he was taller than her so it was rather easy to do so.

"F-Furi-kun's too much like a brother to me..." Aiya muttered from behind him. She was obviously rather shy. At least to some degree. Riko had to wonder how many days she spent walking up to Seirin high and turning back again out of fear, or even watching their practices unable to work up the nerve to come and say anything. It had to be quite a few.

After Furihata explained the situation to Aiya and calmed her down, he was sent through a grueling practice regime to make up for his slacking off to speak to his friend and not handling those sorts of things on his own time.

"I'd have quite the shapely body if I just killed all the girls with bigger boobs that me..." Riko muttered with a clenched fist. Aiya looked taken aback.

"It's not the body that matters, I promise," she told Riko suddenly, not thinking about holding her tongue around the obviously more fit coach. Riko looked over at her, a bit surprised.

"I know that, I just hate how men ogle over it," she hissed lowly. Aiya smiled slightly.

"You have to admit though, busty girls are nice to look at sometimes," she pointed out with a sly smile. Riko looked at Aiya, mortified.

"What are you? Gay?" Riko gasped.

"Nope~ I have a boyfriend, actually," Aiya smiled. Furihata sighed, knowing all too well what Aiya was doing. She was messing with yet another poor soul.

.

Furihata was running to the station. Basketball practice had ended a little later than usual, and he was really cutting it close to when the last train was leaving the area. His entire body was already aching from practice, and now he was just pushing it even further. Hot puffs of air left his lips as he ran, leaving little white clouds behind him.

"Furi-kun!" Aiya yelled after him. He could hear the exaustion in her voice as she continued, "Ple... ase... wai...t... up..." Furihata skidded to a halt. Aiya grabbed his arm then paused to pant, holding tightly onto that arm.

"How... can... you... run... so... fa...st?" she panted, barely able to catch her breath. Furihata sighed.

"Is there something wrong, Aiya-chan?" he asked, looking at her worriedly. She met Furihata's dark brown eyes with a terribly serious look.

"I... can't let you... go... there," she responded, barely able to string together a full sentence.

"Why not?" I asked quickly, my heart clenching. I didn't understand why Aiya was acting so strange. Her grip on my upper arm only tightened.

"I just can't," she said with a firm tone, "So, _please_ , Kou-kun... Don't go... _for me_?" I flinched at the nickname. She hadn't called me that since... I pulled my arm out of her grip, closing my eyes with a firm frown on my face.

"I have to, Aiya-chan. It isn't a choice for me. You understand that, don't you?" I replied, not even bearing to look at her as I said this. I heard her let out a sob.

" _Please_ , Kou-kun... You'll get hurt," she said, but I ignored her. I couldn't miss that train.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! I think that was a good chapter. I'm quite satisfied with it. I think it ties nicely to Chapter 6 (wink wink, nudge nudge).
> 
> Also, that is all I have as of current, so... Until my next update!
> 
> ~Minatu-chan


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got the idea for this chapter while watching "Sakura Trick" :3

Ayame had insisted Akashi join her at some party, so I was left at the Akashi residence with the orders to not leave my room. It could be a chance to read a bit, or perhaps I could try texting Aiya, but... I found myself at a loss. I wasn't sure how I felt about talking to her at that very moment. In fact, I felt a little confused and  hurt in regards to her.

Why would she ask me to run away from what was my reality? I knew that Akashi was never going to fall in love with me, and I was very aware that I would probably be at his side for the rest of my life. It was my fate to experience this painful one-sided love... and I would probably have to watch him get married and help raise his children even, but...

I hadn't even realized when I had begun to cry, but there were already tears streaming down my face by the time I noticed. My life sounded really depressing! I quickly opened one of the boxes that had been brought from my parents' home and began pulling things out. Maybe unpacking would help me not think about it.

Next thing I knew, I had everything neatly placed in my closet... My hands were still itching for something to do, while my mind cried for a distraction. I didn't want to think any further about Akashi... I feared that the thoughts wouldn't just stop at serving him. They might go further along to other things. Like how fit he must be. I could just barely see the definition of his muscles under his usual dress-shirt and slacks, which he sometimes wore a tie with. Or what he'd look like...  when... when he's touching my body... or about to kiss me...  shimata! I had started thinking those things anyway!

I fell to the floor, covering my face with my hands. It felt like my face was on fire. I rolled back and forth, trying to maintain my mind. I wanted to know these things though, if not only to fuel my dirty fantasies. I hoped I would be able to get over this sort of thing soon... It kind of hurt to think like that too.

"Se-sei-chan!" Ayame laughed loudly. I immediately sat up. Something didn't seem quite right. Hesitantly, I peered out of the door and into the hall. I didn't see them so I stepped out into the hall. Ayame appeared suddenly with Akashi wrapped around her arm, pouting. When his eyes landed on me, I felt a shiver roll down my spine.

"Kouki-kun!" Ayame gasped, then she smiled, "Take care of Sei-chan for me~ He's a bit of a clingy drunk." She winked and disappeared into the darkness of the halls. All I could hear of her was the faint foot falls that eventually disappeared to. Then Akashi's arms were around me.

"A-akashi-san!" I gasped. I could feel his warm breath on my right ear. A blush immediately took over my cheeks. I wasn't ready for this kind of attack!

"Kouki..." Akashi muttered lowly in my ear. I squeezed my eyes shut. Warmth washed through my body. I didn't know how to handle this type of situation!  Ayame-samaaaaaa!  I cried silently. Akashi tightened his grip around me. I could smell a faint twinge of alcohol on his breath.

"What are you thinking about, Kouki?" Akashi asked me. He sounded vaguely annoyed. Was I not paying enough attention to him? Akashi then pressed a kiss to my neck. It was soft and warm, as well as a little messy. My eyes widened in shock. Electricity bouncing through my body.I'm going to get -! I glanced down at my pants. At least, it was noticeable yet...

"Akashi-san... I'm thinking about Akashi-san..." I managed to stutter. I could feel Akashi smile against my skin.

"Good..." he purred softly. It sent a jolt through me as I felt the sound reverberate through him. He was too close! I tightened my hands into fists, and tried to remove myself as much as possible from the situation, but from the tightness of my pants I was not doing a very good job of it.

Then I heard Akashi let out a soft snore. He'd fallen asleep! I did my best to drag him to his room and tuck him into bed without tripping over all of the books that were scattered around his room. He always seemed like a neat person to me... apparently I was wrong to some degree. He just appeared organized, perhaps. I slowly crept toward my door, when something stopped me.

Suddenly, I was on Akashi's bed with him over me.

"A-akashi-san!?" I gasped, trying to calm my heart. I couldn't take the drunk Akashi... He curled his limbs around me then, leaving his head on my chest. And that was how I became Akashi's pillow...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting much recently... I've been in a slump where I don't do much of anything, especially what I love. But I'm back now! And hopefully I won't disappear again.


	10. Chapter 10

I felt like I should have known somehow. Like someone should have told me that this should have been avoided at all costs. It should’ve been a warning that went something like:

DO NOT SNUGGLE THE GUY WHO KINDA OWNS YOU. YOU WILL GET A BONER.

But where was that warning? I never saw it anywhere, and _kami_ were my pants uncomfortable. With the way that Akashi was holding me, I couldn’t do a thing about it. My breath caught in my throat at every slight movement of Akashi’s body that brushed me, and such instances were followed by a tiny whimper.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I did my best to bear with it and hope that Akashi wouldn’t notice in the morning when he awoke. Everything went downhill when Akashi gave a soft sigh, my name just barely on his lips. It was soft, and so cat-like. I became as stiff as a board, and I kind of wanted to cry. There was no way I was going to get out of that situation...

I just knew Monday morning was going to be a rough one, and as _kami_ would have it, it was indeed a rough morning. Starting at about 3 AM, when Akashi decided to wake up and find my boner within seconds. It was almost as if he knew it was there the entire time. He met my eyes in the darkness of his room, and I swear I saw a smirk pass over his features.

“Kouki...” he said softly, in a low, rough voice. He couldn’t have been more cruel. I stared at him with what I bet was a pitiful expression. He slowly retracted his arms from around me and with a slight look of concern he said, “I think you may have something to attend to.” I was up and out of the room faster than I could think. My heart was racing with embarrassment. He knew! He knew! _He knew_! I couldn’t have felt more humiliated, more mortified than in that moment right then. I wanted to cry, and cry I did... after I took care of my, well, _needs_.

.

“Good morning, Kouki,” Akashi greeted me. He held a cup of coffee in one hand, while I, on the other hand, was barely dressed and my hair was wild, and as if to poke further fun at me, Akashi said, “Sleep well?”

“Ye-yeah,” I mumbled softly, pushing my hair into a wildly tamed form that I often maintained it at. Akashi had this slightly amused smile on his face.

“You’re going to miss the train at this rate,” he told me. I knew this rather well, but I was not too worried about school in that moment. I had other thoughts on my mind, like how I couldn’t meet Akashi’s eyes because I was still terribly embarrassed.

“Would you like me to drive you?” Akashi asked, most likely out of the kindness of his heart because I was a most pitiful specimen in that moment. I was so awfully out of it that I almost said “okay”.

“O-oh n-no...” I said slowly, waving a single hand, “That’s quite alright.” Akashi shook his head slightly, taking another sip of his steaming coffee.

“I’ll take you to school, Kouki,” Akashi asserted simply before turning and going to his room to get a few more things ready himself. At this, I completely fell apart inside. What was I going to do? It was a long way from the Akashi residence to Seirin... What were we even going to talk about? I don’t know if I would be able to take a car ride of silence with Akashi... my mind was ruthless that day.

Upon getting into the silver car that Akashi had chosen to drive, I came to the realisation that Akashi was going to be the one _driving_ the car. So it was literally going to be just me and him... For some reason, that was even worse in my mind.

At first, neither of us said anything, and I found that the silence was bearable... but this was mainly due to the fact that Akashi had music playing, and I was doing well with distracting myself with that. Then Akashi decided to speak.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly, and I was immediately shocked into confusion. Why was he apologising? He hadn’t done a single thing wrong!

“W-why?” I blurted out before I could give my words much thought. Quickly I blushed, and said, “I’m sorry... You don’t have to apologise, Akashi-san.” A long silence followed after that. Before I knew it, we were already near my school. Akashi turned to me with an unfamiliar expression.

“Kouki,” he began, and immediately, I was glued to my seat. I felt like a deer caught in headlights. He continued despite my rigid demeanour, “You didn’t have to apologise. I was the one who was drunk.” A blush spread over my cheeks as he told me that.

“O-okay,” I responded. I stepped out of the car, but he motioned to me, so I leaned back in.

“You’re mine, Kouki,” Akashi asserted with a fierce expression, and I was stunned into silence. Later I realised that Kuroko and Kagami had been behind me, and Akashi had been distracting me from them, but at the time I had no idea why he was suddenly saying that, or why he had to get my hopes up like that. I felt so awfully pitiful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another filler chapter... but let me tell you this first, they are very fun to write.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> B'dum tshhh

It was like a breath of fresh air. Shocked, lungs pulling in a gush of fresh air as his mind attempted to make sense of the thoughts that flooded his mind like the tides rushing in. Sharp, aware eyes cut across the plain room, and over the multiple stacks of books with colored notes sticking out in a disorderly manner. Dark red eyebrows furrowed downward, eyes slitting into a squint against the light.

“Aya… why are you…?” His arm waved against the movement in the room, and someone, assumed to be Ayame, moved through the room slowly, skirting around the books.

“You've got to wake up eventually or the whole weekend will just disappear,” Ayame spoke from her position by the door as she jerked open the old, wooden door. Light poured mercilessly into the room, “Or would you rather spend the day dreaming of this ‘Kouki’ you seem so enamored with?” Ayame looked rather pleased with herself as she said this. Only one of her eyes gazed directly at him, the other was crystalline and served nothing more than cosmetic purpose.

“Hmmm…” Seijuurou stared outside from his position on his futon, “I'm not sure that your statement is true. I think it was more of a…” He was reaching for the word in his mind.

“Fantasy?” Ayame suggested, looking at her brother curiously.

“Yes… that,” he responded with a slight nod. Ayame smiled, standing and moving out of his room. She paused, stopping only for a moment to ruffle Seijuurou’s hair a little bit before leaving her younger brother alone with his thoughts. Ayame hadn't pegged him for a daydreamer, but apparently or takes all kinds. She smiled to herself. He seemed a little more human with that thoughtful expression on his face.

Sure, the _Kouki_ he was referring to was probably that of the cafe server he had taken a glean to, Furihata Kouki, but it was sure to wear off as many of Seijuurou’s sudden interests did. It was just a matter of time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got this idea a while ago. Decided to finally write it down. Suppose that's a wrap.


End file.
